Galinsoga parviflora Carv., Asteraceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: niu xi ju

English: chick weed, ciliate galinsoga, dumb-nettle, galinsoga, galinsoga-weed, gallant soldier, potato weed, potato-weed, quick weed, small-flower galinsoga, yellow weed

Japanese: hakidamegiku

Spanish: chuminca, guasco, mielcilla, pacuyuyo, rosilla chica

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Slender annual herbs 2-7 dm tall, sparsely pubescent with appressed or sometimes spreading hairs.  Leaves ovate or narrowly ovate, 2-5 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, margins serrulate or entire.  Heads 3-4 mm high, peduncles appressed pubescent or glandular villous; involucral bracts 2-3 mm long; ray florets (3) 5 (6) per head, rays white, rarely pink, 3-toothed, 1-2 mm long; pappus of ray florets absent or very reduced, that of disk florets consisting of blunt-tipped, fimbriate scales.  Achenes sparsely appressed pubescent or glabrous"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 318-320).

Description from Flora of China online.
Description from Flora of North America online.
Description from Flora of Taiwan online.

Habitat/ecology:  "The plants grow best in moist conditions and can become very numerous under irrigation or in year-round rainfall in the tropics" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 280).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in a variety of disturbed habitats, particularly urban areas, trails, open rocky sites or pastures, 0-1,800 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 318-320).  In Papua New Guinea, a "weed of gardens, cultivation and plantations"  (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 76).

Propagation:  "A prolific seeder, often producing several thousand per plant, it can complete a life cycle (germination to shedding of seeds) in as little as 50 days.  Viable seeds may be produced when the plant is only a few cm high.  These seeds may germinate readily after falling to the ground; however, germination may be retarded if the seed coat remains intact.  Light, as well as alternating temperatures, may favor germination.  Temperatures of 10° to 35° C appear to be suitable for germination" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 280).

Native range:  Southwestern US south to South American, now a cosmopolitan weed (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 318-320).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 205)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 18) "A worldwide weed of disturbed ground". Vouchers cited: J.D. McComish 128 (NSW); M.D. Crisp 4508 & I.R.H. Telford (CBG); 1920, J.L. Boorman (NSW)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 8) "A worldwide weed of disturbed ground". Vouchers cited: W.R. Sykes NI 496 (CHR); P.S. Green 2411 (K); W.R. Sykes NI 188 (CHR); 1898, I. Robinson(NSW)
Chile (offshore islands) Rapa Nui (Easter) Island	Rapa Nui (Easter) Island (Isla de Pasqua)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 81)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 225)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 554)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 554)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 318-320)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 318-320)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 318-320)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2008) (p. 24) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, Perlman & Tangalin H10706 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 318-320)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2011) (p. 6) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer & Perlman H10906 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 318-320)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 76) At altitudes from 900 to 2500 m.
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 92)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalised
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 282)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Fields, streamsides, sparse forests. A common weed widely distributed in China".
China China	Hong Kong	introduced invasive	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 282) In wasteland or on margins of farmland.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 282)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 190)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 218) "Locally abundant in gardens and cultivated land, also waste places and pasture".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 282)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2013) "Naturalized around farms and villages, 1,500-2,100 m".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Arizona, New Mexico, Texas; naturalized elsewhere

Control:  If you know of control methods for Galinsoga parviflora, please let us know.